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Index Interviews: Evan Marshall John Saul Do It Yourself Music Publishing -- Part IV Writing Life Stories For the Inspirational or Religious Markets Upcoming Events Calendar Return to This Issue's Index Return to Homepage Subscribe
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Reviews of Writing BooksWords Fail Me: What Everyone Who Writes Should Know About Writing by Patricia T. O'ConnerHarcourt Brace, September 1999.Trade Paperback, 240 pages. ISBN: 0151003718 Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Former New York Times Book Review editor
Patricia T. O'Conner is back with a follow-up
to her bestselling and valuable grammar
reference, Woe is I. In this latest release, she
tackles common writing problems and discusses
elements of good writing. O'Conner is especially perturbed
by the amount of poor writing these days, which is even more
obvious because
of the Internet and email where everyone's glaring grammar
and usage
mistakes are on display for the world to see.
In the author's own
words the book is "about techniques for making
poor writing presentable and good writing better.
Think of it as a user's manual for words."
The book provides helpful tips on writing techniques; it is
also extremely enjoyable to read, with
interesting anecdotes about famous writers to spice up
the examples and chapters with titles such as
"Pompous Circumstances: Hold
the Baloney," and "The Life of the Party: Verbs that Zing."
Some of the subjects covered in the book include:
organization, speeches, using big words, provocative
verbs, pronouns, modifiers, sentence structure, paragraphs,
repetition, grammar, numbers, staying focused, first
person, rhythm, humor, emotion and writer's block.
Words Fail Me is a superb reference for student and professional writers alike, with practical advice, relevant examples and O'Conner's brand of witty humor which is sure to keep the reader engrossed in a subject that otherwise might be insufferably dull. These reference is great for poor writers but also beneficial to good writers as well. As O'Conner herself explains, "even if you're a Tolstoy or a Balzac, a Thurber or a McPhee, it doesn't hurt to learn the rules before you break them." Words Fail Me is well-researched, extremely informative and highly entertaining. Highly recommended. The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing by Evan MarshallWriter's Digest Books, October 1998.Hardcover, 242 pages. ISBN: 0898798485 Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
Evan Marshall is a successful literary agent and
mystery novelist (author of Missing Marlene). He also
also teaches a popular
writing seminar through the Heartland Writers
Guide. In his book and writing program,
The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing, he helps readers
take a story idea to completed novel.
The program is divided into five major parts, which cover
planning and developing your story idea, plotting,
writing like a pro, self-editing and
a final section on marketing your novel.
The book is further divided into sixteen steps, each of which
contains tips and advice you can't find anywhere else.
Some highlights include: a complete list of different genres
and subgenres, character fact lists, section sheets (a
device used for plotting), FAD (putting feelings, action and
dialogue in the correct order) and the Novelist's Manual for
Self-Editing, a collection of checklists for writers to
use when editing their novel.
Each step also provides thorough advice on what to
do and what not to do, examples of what works
and inspiration to keep you going.
An appendix in the book includes a sample synopsis
for a novel that was sold and published.
Evan Marshall is an expert on the publishing industry and what it takes to complete a commercially viable manuscript. Marshall's' suggestions and thoughts on the novel writing process are conveyed in a logical and easy-to-follow manner in the Marshall Plan. The program can be completed from start to finish, or the reference can be used by budding novelists looking to brush up on a particular area such as characters, or overcome a specific problem such as editing or writer's block. The Marshall Plan is truly a must-have resource for anyone embarking on the journey of writing a novel, and would make a superb gift for any aspiring novelist. Highly Recommended. Conflict, Action & Suspense by William NobleWriter's Digest Books, May 1999.Trade Paperback, 185 pages. ISBN: 0898799074 Ordering information: Amazon.com. | Amazon.co.uk 
In this fiction writer's aide, author
William Noble provides insightful instruction on
developing conflict and drama by
focusing on what readers want to get out
of the writer-reader partnership. Noble
explains that "conflict only works when
we appreciate that the reader will be moved
by it, and we should know that in the
writer-reader partnership it is the reader's
reaction we strive for." Noble uses this
concept to teach writers how to hold the
reader's attention and other techniques to
build suspense. Some of the concepts
covered in the reference book include:
stage-setting, openings, cliff-hangers,
dialogue, mood, atmosphere, character
development, point of view, misdirection,
time and place, pacing and endings.
Noble also provides examples, plot ideas
and sample dialogue to help get his
message across to the novice fiction writer.
The author also explains the
techniques of popular fiction writers. Noble
writes that "one of Alfred Hitchcock's most useful
techniques was to take innocent characters
and put them into a bizarre situation."
In the book he explains how to use this technique to
develop your own story.
This fiction writing aide contains valuable advice and examples which show the reader how to write suspense fiction that excites and entertains readers. A valuable reference for fiction writers. Return to Book Reviews Index ** More information on writing-related books can be found in the Writer's Bookstore. |